Automatically-operating blank or label feeding mechanism for blank-gumming machines.



M.' E. PETERS, G. H. EAIH & Av. F. MILLER AUTOMAIICALLY OPERATING BLANK 0R LABEL FEEDING MECHANISM FOR BLANK GUMMINQ MACHINES APPLICATION FILED SEPT25I| |916.

Y M. E. PETERS, G. H. FATH & A. F. MILLER. A'uToMATIc/ILLY OPERATING BLANK 0R LABEL EEEmNG lNIEQNNNISN Fon BLANK GUMNNNG MACHINES.

l APPLICATION FILED SEPT-25.19%.

1,235,500. Patemuulysl, 1917.

' s SHEETS-SHEET 2. 95 J0@ z5 ff] I v M. E. PETERS, G. H. FATH & A. F. MILLER. AUTOMATICALLY OPERATINGf'BLANK RLABEL FEEDING MECHANISM FOR BLANK GUMMING MACHINES APPLICATION FILED SEPT-25. 1916. A 1,235,560. PatentedJuly 31, 1917,

PATENT MELVILLE E. PETERS, GEORGE EI. FATE, AND ALBERT E. MILLER, OF DENVER, COLO- EIDG, ASSIGNORS T0 THE PETERS PATENT RIGHTS COMPLQNY, GF DENVER, GOL()- EAD, A CORPORATION OF COLORADO.

AUTOMATICALLY-OPERATING BLANK OR LABEL EEEDING MECHANISM FOR BLANK- GUMMING- MACHINES.

Application filed September 25, 1916.

To @ZZ whom t may concern Be it known that we, MELVILLE E. Pumas, Geenen H, FATH, and ALBERT F. MILLER, citizens of the United States of America, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Automatically-Operating Blank or Label Feeding Mechanism for Blank- Gumming Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a new and improved automatically operating blank or label feeding mechanism for blank gumming machines, and the objects of our invention are:

First; to provide means for feeding box covering blanks or labels to blank gumming machines.

Second; to provide means by which the top sheet of paper of the stack of papers is separated from the stack before it is fed forward .into the blank gumming machine.

Third, to provide means by which the top blank of the stack of blanks of the automatic blank feeding mechanism' is rst wiped baekwardlyy and thus separated from the stack of blanks before it `is fed forward into the blank gumming machine, and the wiper then either pushes the separated edge of the top blank or' assists in pushing itforward up over suitable knife blade guides, which assists the forward movement of the drawn back top blank, as when the advance edge of the blanks is drawn back it lifts up into a curved portion, and as the wipery starts forward, some of the blanks. owing to their cramped position.` iiy forward quickly; others are sluggish and have to be assisted forward, and in case any do not more bv virtue of the resilient tension, their curved-up edge is pushed by the wipers up over the knife edge of the paper separating guides.

llourth; to provide means for automati4 cally feeding a stack of paper, blanks or labels up to the level ofthe separator, and also to the blank feeding mechanism asvfast as they are fed into the gumming machine from the top of the stack.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3f, 1917.

seria-1 No. 122,062.

Fifth; to provide an automatically operating.' paper or bor` wrapping` blank or label feeding mechanism, the feeding movement of which is controlled by the blank gumming, conveying, transmitting and delivering mechanism of the gumming machine.

`We attain these obj ectsby the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: p

Figure l illustrates a side elevation of a paper blank or label separating mechanism that is adapted to separate the top blank or label from a stack of blanks or labels.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a plan View thereof.

Fig. l is an enlarged detail' sectional View, illustrating the pneumatic blank feeding and separating mechanism and the actuating mechanism therefor.

Fig. 5 is plan view of the pneumatic blank feeding device and its supporting and actuating bar.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental front view showing parts not clearly shown in Fig. 2'.

Fig? is a rear view of the upper portion of the rear stack guide showing the blank holding'v clips in position thereon; and

Fig. S is a sectional view through one of the air suction blank transferring tubes.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

The numeral l designates a shaft which extends across the machine and is journaled in the side frames 2 andB. Upon this sha-ft we secure a large gear el. This gear meshes with a rack bar 5, which is reciprocally mounted' in a suitable bearing- 6, that is formed on the lower edge of a casing 7, that surrounds the gear 4. This casing forms a part of a horizontal bar 8, upon which a stack guide 9 is adjustably and slidably mounted. This stack guide is adapted to be set against the back of the stack of blanks, and we call it the stack back guide. 0n the front side of the casing a bracket l1 is formed, which is bolted to a cross bar 13,

which is bolted to the side frames; To the erossbar are bolted two vertical slideways CIL 10. These slideways are spaced a short distance apart, and in each a vertical bar 12 is slidably mounted. The top of the bracket 11 is secured to the underside of the cross bar 13, which extends across the machine and is secured to its side frames.

The upper ends of the bars 12 are provided with gear teeth which extend forV several inches down their outer sides, and to their lower face ends a flat bar 15, which we call a tan'iping shoe, is removably secured. This tainping shoe moves up and down and intermittently rests on top of the stack of blanks 16, which stack rests on top of a vertical moving table 111, which has an intermittent vertical feeding movement which is automatically controlled by the demand of the top sheet feeding mechanism, as will be presently described. rthe gear toothed rack portions of the upper ends of these vertical bars mesh with two pinions 1'?, which are mounted on a shaft 18, that is journaled in the opposite side frames. This shaft extends beyond the frame 3 and to this end of the shaft a rock arm 19 is secured,

one end of which rests on ton of a verticall Vdisposed rod Q0, which we call the stack ta bles feeding rod. To the opposite end of this rock arm is pivotally connected a pup pet 21, in which is slidably mount-cd the upper end of a connecting rod 2Q, the other end of'which is connected to one end of a rock lever 23, to be hereinafter mentioned.

At a short distance in Vfront of the shaft 18, a square shaft 2l extends across the niachine and is journaled in suitable bushings that are mounted in the side fra-mes of the machine. 0n this square shaft we mount two levers 25, which we call frictioirfeed toe levers, and which are provided with square apertures that it slidably ony the shaft. yThese levers depend vertically from the shaft and are adjustably secured to it by set screws 26, at any desired distance from the center of the machine. The lower ends of these levers are turned at right angles inwardly from its vertical portion and to these ends double ended rock arms 27 are pivotally secured, and from their pivoted ends two arms 28 and Q9 extend in the same forward direction, but at an angle to each other. 'lhe lower arm Q9k is provided at its lower end with a soft shoe 30 of rubber or other suitable material, which engages the top paper or blank of the stack of papers or blanks, the advance edges of which are confined under knife edge clips 31, and moves backwardly as will be presently7 described. The other arm 2S of each rock arm is pivotally secured to the lower forked end of a rod B2, the upper end of which extends loosely through a lug 89, that isformed on the side of the friction toe lever Q5. The top end of this rod is threaded and a knurled linger nut 3st is threaded to it. By means nasasoo of this adjustable rod 32, the resilient bearing tension or pressure of the shoe 30 against the top paper or blank is regulated to suit papers or blanks of different sizes.

'lhe knife edge clips 31 are preferably in the form of thin blades that taper from rounded end to thin knife edges, and their rounded ends are apertured and are hinged between the bifurcated ends of blocks which are secured to one side of a plate 36, that entends across the machine between the frames and is secured to them and forms the front blank guide, as will be hereinafter explained. These knife edge clips are arranged to set down againstthe top of the stack of blanks which is being constantly fed up against them. rlhe upper edge of the plate 36 is preferably provided with a nurnber of independent notches or recesses 3T, that are preferably .separated from each other, and each knife edge clip lies in one of the recesses. The clips are adapted to be moved either inwardly or outwardly from the longitudinal center of the machine, as desired, to lit diderent sized blanks, and the distances between the centers of these re cesses of the supporting plate 36 represent the progressive sizes of the group of blanks the machine will feed and coat with gum.v

Each clip is hinged to its` block by a pin 8S which passes through the clip and loosely through the bifurcated end of the block, the clip being secured upon the pin. @ne end of the pin extends a suitable distance beyond the side of the block, and a collar 239 is rigidly secured thereon. A coil spring d0 surrounds the pin between the collar and the adjacent side of the block; and one end of this spring is secured to the block, and the other to the collar, whereby the clip is held against the top blank under resilient pressure sufficient for the required purpose.

The blanks are arranged in predetermined sizes that vary from about two inches wide by four inches long to about twelve inches wide by twenty inches long, and the knife edge clips can bemoved to guide the advancing edge of the different sized blanks relatively to a pair of air suction tubes to be presently described, which are also arranged to be moved to lit the different sized blanks. rilhe tamping bar moves down against the top of the stack of blanks rst; then instantly afterward the wipers draw the toi blank from under the clips. the advancing edges of all sizes of blanks when drawn back are drawn from under the knife edge clips by the wipers and when released, instantly spring forward and run up over the knife edge of these blank separating clips, the under side of which rests directly on top of the stack of blanks, the pressure of the clips upon the blanks being sufficient to prevent the separated Consequently blank from moving back under the knife edge clips. Consequently it moves up over them. The instant the advancing edge of the blank moves up overthe knife edge clips the tamping bar rises and releases its pressure against the top blank, as well as against the stack of blanks.

The top blank now having been separated from the stack of blanks, and its advance edge correctly alined at exactly right angles to the center of the machine, the top separated blank is readyto be advanced from the stack to the feed roller of the gumming machine.

This feature of our invention we preferably carry out in the following manner and by the following described air suction blank gripping force and mechanism:

The inner end of the horizontally arranged rack bar 5 is provided with a short vertically arranged slideway head 44, which removably secured to it, and in which a cross-head 45 is reciprocally mounted. The top of this cross-head is provided with a roller 4t, which is engaged by the outer end of a finger 4'?, the inner end of which is secured upon a shaft 4S, one end of which is p ivotally mounted in the side frame 2, the other end being pivotally secured to a lug that is formed on the adjacent end of the gear casing 7 to the lower end of this cross-head 45 a sleeve member 49 is secured by screws 50. This sleeve is provided with au axial aperture that entends through it, and at the opposite ends of the sleeve, split clamping lugs 5l are formed, in which clamping screws are threaded. And in the opposite ends of the sleeve, tubes 52 are inserted and are clampingly secured to the sleeve by the clamping screws.

This arrangement permits they tubes to be quickly removed and shorter or longer ones to be inserted in their place, although the tubes 52 cau be moved in and out of the sleeve a short distance and clamped in adjusted positions.

This sleeve and its end tubes form the air suction reservoir for two air suction blank gripping tubular members 53 that are arranged to be moved down on the top blank and grip it with an air suction drawing force, as will be presently explained. We preferably illustrate but two of these air suction blank gripping tubular members, but more or less of them may be used if desired. These two air suction tubular members are mounted on the opposite ends of the air reservoir pipe 52, and they comprise arms that are secured at one end on the end of the air tubes These arms are each provided with a passage 54j that is connected at one end with the air tubes 52, and at its other end with an air suction blank gripping tubular plug 55, which is made of steel and is arranged to be set up into a cup member 56 on the end of the arms. These steel plugs project slightly below the outer ends of the arms, and a thin, soft, rubber disk 57 is secured to the end of each cup by any suitable means, preferably by a flange portion 58, that is formed on the outer ends of the plug and is arranged to clamp the central portion of thel rubber disk against the end of the cup 56.

To the center of the sleeve a pipe 59 is connected to an aperture that extends into the axial aperture of the sleeve. This pipe extends upwardly a short distance and then is bent to extend laterally to one side of the machine, where it is connected to one end of a pipe' or tube 60, the opposite end of which is connected to an inlet nipple that is threaded to the inlet aperture of an air pump 6l, that is secured to the base plate of the machine.

This air pump is provided with a connecting rod and piston 62, that is connected to one end of a rock arm 63; the opposite end of this rock arm is pivotally connected to a cross shaft 64, of the machine. rlhe rock arm is provided with a roller 65, intermediate of its ends which arranged to engage a cam 66 that is formed on one side of a disk 67, that is secured on a shaft 68, that forms one of the main driving shafts of the machine.

This air pump is timed in such relative relation to the blank feeding movements of the feed and gumming rolls that it causes the air suction tubes to grip by air suction a blank, and advancingly feed it forward to the blank feeding roller where these air suction tubes deposit it, as will be presently described, and where the air suction force is broken by the reverse stroke of' the pump piston, which causes an air pressure in the pipes and air suction tubes, or if preferred, the pump is arranged to neutralize the suction force to cause them to instantly release the blank at the blank feeding roller 69, the instant the air suction inlet apertures 70 of the feed roller G9 grip it.

The air suction tubes are normally held at about an inch above the top sheet of the stack of blanks by a pair of springs 7i, that are connected at their upper ends to the bent-over ends of two strips 72 that are secured to the opposite sides of the slideway head 44, and at their lower ends are secured to the opposite ends of a Spanner bar 73 that extends across the under side of the slideway head and beyond it far enough on each side 'to receive in apertures the opposite ends of the two springs '71. These springs are contraction springs and they normally hold the cross-head through the medium of the Spanner bar up even with the lower edge of the slideway head. rlhese air suction tubes are moved down against the top sheet of the stack of blanksby the tween and close to its side frames, Where it is secured at its opposite ends to vertical bars 101, each of which is reciprocally mounted in two slideivay bearings 102, that are secured to the top and bottom and adjacent inside surfaces of the side frames,

rfliese vertical bars are reciprocated b v cam -actuated levers 103, one end of each of which is mounted on a shaft 1041, which eX- tends across the machine and is journaled in its side frames. The outer ends of these levers are pivotally connected to the ends of connecting reds 105, the opposite ends of which are pivotally connected to the vertical bars 101. A leve-r 106 is secured on the shaft 101, the free end of which is provided with a roller that engages a cam 107 that is formed on one side of a disk 108, that is secured on the shaft 68. The cam is timed to impart a reciprocative movement to. the ejector bar of sufficient stroke to hold it and cause it to normally stand above and to move down and engage every blank that accidentally gets out of proper alinement vvhile being picked up and fed to the feed roller by the air suction blank gripping tubes.

The blank engaging edge of the blank ejecting blade is provided with recesses 109 that are arranged to allovv its intermediate edges to extend down ycentrally between the ends of the rollers 92, and also down betiveen the shafts beyond the rollers far enough to permit its lower edge-s to push the blankbetvveen the rollers to their meeting centers, so that the rollers will rigidly and quickly grip them, While the recesses in the edge of the blade extend above the meeting centers of the rollers and do not engage the blank.

The blank feeding roller 69 is an intermittent rotating feed roller and it feeds the blanks one at a time to a blank gumming cylinder 110, as will be presently7 described.

The stack of blanks that are fed one at a time to the feed roller and to the gumming cylinder are supported on a table 111, Which stands in a horizontal plane. rThis table comprises a flat smoothed top table that is provided with sliding lugs at its opposite ends, which rest in slideivays that are formed in the inside surfaces of the side frames of the machine.

This table is adapted to be fed upwardly intermittently by mechanism that is substantially the same as the mechanism illustrated in our pending patent, Serial Number 30,171, filed May 25, 1915, for a blank gumining machine.

1V e will, however, describe the present arrangement, Which is as follows:

A shaft 112 extends across the frame and is journaled in the side frames at the forward end of the machine. Upon this shaft tivo bevel gears 113 yare mounted, one at each end, and above these bevel gears there are two other bevel gears 114, that are secured to the ends of vertical shafts 115, that mesh with the bevel gears 113 on the cross shaft 112.

The vertical rods are rotatively supported in suitable bearings`116 that are secured to the insides of the side frames. The upper ends of these vertical rods Vare threaded and they thread into and through threaded lbushings 117, that are screwed into apertures formed in the table to receive them. These threaded rods are held from up or down movement in their supporting lugs by collars 118, and the hubs of the gears. Consequently when the cross shaft is rotated its gears 113 rotate the gears 114 and the vertical shafts 115, in the threaded bushings of the table, which moves the table up or down, depending on which Way the cross shaft is turned. This cross shaft extends through and beyond the right hand side frame far enough to receive a hand turning Wheel 119 that is secured to it and a pawl and ratchet mechanism which is arranged to rotate this shaft in short step by step movements automatically by the blank feeding mechanism as the blanks are needed at the top of the stack.

The blank feeding` mechanism is arranged to feed several blanks off from the top of the stack When the stack of blanks has been fed up against the under side of the knife edge guides by the table, and the blank feeding mechanism will feed several predetermined numbers of blanks ed from the top of the stack before it starts the mechanism that rotates the cross-shaft r112, that feeds the table upwardly.

The cooperative action between the blank feeding mechanism and the table is as follows: rlhe blank edge Wipers 30 that move the advance edge of the blank back from under the knife edge clips have, through their vertical resilient tension tread an adjustable up and down movement independent of the upward feeding movement of thel table and blanks sufficient to feed a number of blanks off of the top of the stack of blanks Without any upward feeding movement of the table., while feeding several of the blanks, assuming that the Wipers are started on top of the stack just after the stack has been fed up against the under side of the knife edge clip by the table and before the 'table commences to feed the stack of blanks upwardly Within the engaging reach of the Wipers.

The air suction blank gripping tubes also have a vertical feed movement of the same variable blank engaging and feeding stroke movement, relative to the feeding movements of the table, but acting independent of it When standing at the top of the stack when it has been fed up under the knife edge blank holding clips, and these tivo blank separating and feeding mechanisms copeiatively act to statt the tahle to feeding` the stach of bla-nhs upward@T as theyv near the end of their doiifnii'ai'dldv feeding moveinent which, toi example, has been piedeterininedly adjusted and arranged te `feed ten blanks ott ol' the top ot the stach hetoize theiT start the mechanism that operates the table to feed the stach of blanks upwardly close against the under side ot the knife edge clips.

The mechanism that connects the blank separating and feedingiuechaiiisin to the ci'oss shaft of the table is as lolloivs: rEhe lower end of the rod 2O entends slidahlyY through a supporting guide 120 that cured to the side ot the adjacent aine of the machine and its loii'ei en top of a flat lug portion that is oiined oh one end of a roel; aiin 121, that is piiotalljf secured intermediate of its ends to the of the adjacent side iaine. The opgosit'- end of this roch afin is pivotallaT connected to one end of a linl: 122, the opposite end of which is piotally coihected to the lewe side of a dish that is loose y mounted oi the cross sli-ait 112 at the side ot a ratchet Wheel 12%L that is secured on the shaft. ri"

si le iii Vl s Ahis disk has a smooth peripheral edge that is i free from iatchet and that is enougl lai'gei in diametei` than the ratchet Wheel to he noinialljyv engaged hy a paal 125, which normali)T iests on top ot' it. rEnis disk is pi'oided in its peripheral edge with z c 126, that is loing enough to equal several the teeth of the fatchet Wheel, and the pai which noiniallyv `rests on the peiipheial of this dish cannot engage the teeth of the ratchet Wheel, except the dish he moved so that its recess will iegistei ooposite to the tooth engaging end oit the pawl. rllhis it is caused to do hij the toll Wing desciiil ed mechanism operating in the following' described inannei:

ri'lhe 1roch ai-in 121 isepeifated to tui-ii disk 123 so that its 126 Wil opposite o the iatchet teeth engaL the paul. by the reciprocal niovenit rod 20, the upper end of 'which by one end of the iocl; afin 1S), tl -l ineinher of `which carries the eye through which the rod passes upper end of the iod ieceiies a, nut 12 hetween which and the holt 21 is i'iteifoosed a coil spying 12S, which nests pressure on the eye holt V17 when is drawn dcivnwad, ano, a collai` said iod engages the said eye holt o1 upi'aid movement of the rod. 'he i end of this lod is connected to one el the rock arm '28, that is i'igidlj inounte a shaft 13G, which is jouinaled in `iaines of the machine. 7Upon this shaft is also iigidly seciieed an man 131 which is pio vided with a iollei that engages a cam s that is seon the othei1 side o1 the d.' l

rEhis cani reciproaiin 19 and causes tle app i end et the iod i ein 121, causing it diaif the liiil; to tuih the dish on i 112 which hiiings its i'ecess in f with the iatchet teeth engaging i l allows it to engage the `ratchet teeth and to turn the iratchettoothed c feequently the shaft 112,

A spying 133 is se- 121 and to the adjai is aiianged to di'avf its noiinal position "h its t isi; tuining moifeinents. "he iod is slidahlv d that is secuiled to ii'aine ot the chine. "l h l oi his ioclt aiin an l@ causes the gaats 1T 'which ai the shatt and -which nic-sn inte =f the met: han 12, to 'reciprocate the stac taniging' hai` 15, the V'ecipiocal ihoveinens ot which ate timed ielatiife to those of the other copeiating hlanl; feeding parts.

i h ljoselj.'T on the shaft 11 at tchet Wheeh a li huh is yl'o i pi: jtinggd rEhe pzwl is secuee to this aini 'hf pin 131. to -which a spring 133 .is secuied in such a inznnei' as to hold the pawl in en- @aging felation to the teeth of the fat f Tfieel. To the nd of this ai,A evil of a cozinecti d 139 is ecuied opposte end oi' is secmet to nel et' a roel; aiin 1- is i'ocl aiin is secu inteiineciate s t( a stub shaft ltviat if gouinalefl adjacent side traine ot the machine. e opposite end o1l this reet; alni is coni'iee C to one end of a connecting tod 1&27 connected at its eoposite t a leves 1&8, that is secure the sduaie s L @n "h n i e steh sha1y 111 one eno ot level 1f. is secmcd. the opposite end of which i, Di'ovided with a toller 1*-15 that ene i nalen in the side frames. beyond one of i i one end of, the iod extends. and han i taining' cianh 14:8 is secured to its end.

Cre

Double ended levers 1&9 are threaded to the opposite threaded ends of these right and left handed threaded rods, and the lovver ends of these double ended levers are loosely and slidably mounted on a smooth cross rod 150, that is secured to the side frames. This smooth rod acts as a horizontal guide for the threaded double ended levers 1&9. The upper ends of these double ended levers are each provided with a reetangular bar .151, that extends vertically upward through lateral slots llformed in the side edges of the table, which slots eX- tend from the sides of the table to near enough to the center of its wir th to allow these vertical bars to be fed along the threaded rod toward the center of the table far enough to act as side guides to the smallest size blanks the machine will coat with gum.

ll'iese vertical rods act as side guides for all of the diderent sizes of blanks the machine will coat with gum, and they are fed laterally toward or away from the center of the table until they nt against the sides of the stack of blanks. s these slots 152 in the table are Wide, We bridge them over with thin plates 153, that are seated in a` stepped recess that is formed in the upper edge of the slot to receive them. rfhese plates are made to slide freely in the steps of the recesses and they are each provided With an aperture through Which the vertical bars extend. rllie upper ends of these bars entend slightly above the knife edge clips 21.

The operation of our improved blank feeding mechanism for separating and feed ing blanks one at a` time from a stack of blanks to the blank controlling and gumming mechanism of a blank gumming machine is as follows:

Assuming that the friction clutch pulley has been properly belted to a source of rotative power which is transmitted to the cams through suitable connecting mechanism, and a stack of box Wrapping blainks is placed on the table and fills the space between the table and the under side of the knife edge clips and the side bars have been moved in against the opposite side ofthe blanks by the threaded rod le?, and that the back end stack supporting plate 9 has been moved on the bar S, up against the back end of the stack of blanks; then when the machine is started to ruiming the tamping bar first moves down on top of the stack of blanks vvith pressure enough to hold the first blank from slipping backward 'when instantly afterward the Wipers Il() swing over and down against the advance edge of the top blank and move it backwardly from under the knife edge clips, and then releases it, and instantly after Ward the air s `ction operating blank gripping tubes 56 move down against the advancing edge of the blank and grip it and raise it and then feedit forward over the transverse roiv of air suction inlet apertures 70, in the peripheral surface of the feed roller 69, when the suction grip of these tubes on the blank broken by the reviu'siug of the suction stroke of the cam actuated piston of the air pump that creates the air suction in the blank gripping tubes.

The large thin rubber disks 57, at the en# trance of these tubes rest fiat against the top of the blank, and the air suction force draws their soft flexible flange down tight against the blank and prevents any possibility of any air from entering under them. Consequently a perfect if'acuuin is established in the tubes, which grips the blanks tightly and conveys them quickly to the feed roller, the forward feeding movement of these tubes being effected by the large gear et, moving the rack bar and the supporting sleeve 4f), and the air suction blank gripping' tubes forward. ln case a blank does, from any cause whatsoever, become disarranged so that its advance edge does not fully cover the transverse rowv of blank gripping air suction apertures in the feed roller, the suction in the feed roller is broken and then the feed roller makes its intermittent rotating movement Without the blank, and the air suction tubes having been quickly returned for another blank1 the cam and lever actuated blank ejecting blade moves quickly down ragainst the blank and pushes it down between the ejecting rollers 921, Which very quickly feed it through them out of the path of the next blank and under the machine.

Our invention, While especially adapted to feeding blanks for covering boxes to our above mentioned application, is also adapte ed to feed square sheets of paper er labels, Wit-hor Without printed mattei' on them, to any kind or character of gumming machinery or to printing and other pressing When it is desired to subject them to further treatment, and While We have described the preferred construction and arrangement of our improved paper and label feeding mechanism, ive do not Wish to be limited to it, as many changes mie'ht be made Without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having described our invention, what We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. nn automatic stack of blank feeding mechanism, comprising means including an upwardly feeding table, resiliently yielding knife edge clip members extending over and bearing on the advancing edge of the blanks, an intermittent operating presser device for engaging the top of the stack, rubber Wipers arranged to engage the top blank and dravv its advance edge back from under said clips against the presser device and then to advance it over the top of the knife edge guides, and means including the air suction members comprising the plug holder, the steel plug and the soft pliable rubber disk arranged to grip and advance the top blank from the stack.

2li-'in automatic stack of blank feeding mechanism, comprising stack feeding means, stack holding means, means for feeding the top blank from the stack of blanks, and means for feeding the separated blank forward to further treatment, and means including a reciprocating blade and feed rollers for eject-ing the disarranged blanks from the machine.

3. in automatic stack of blank feeding mechanism, comprising the upwardly feeding stack of blanks feeding table, the resilient knife edge clip guides extending over and against the top of the stack of blanks and in engagement therewith, the tamping bar arranged to intermittently engage said stack with a holding pressure, the soft tread friction top blank engaging wipers arranged to cngagethe advance edge of the top blank and draw it from under the said knife edge guides, and means including the air suction gripping members comprising the cups, the stee plugs within the cups, the soft rubber disks and the rack bar actuating mechanism for gripping said released blank and for advancing it to further treatment.

fl. The combination in blank feeder for stacks of blanks, of operative mechanism for separating the top blank, means for orderly alining blanks and means for stopping disorderly alined blanks and removing them, said means comprising blank gripping and feeding rollers interposed in the blank feeding mechanism, and a reciprocal blade for striking the stopped disorderlyT alined blanks and pushing them inte said rollers, wherebgT said rollers feed said blanks between them and discharge them from the feeding mechanism. Y

5. ln a blank feeder, the combination of the supporting side frames with the stack of blank supporting and table mechanism and means for separating the top blank from the stack, comprising resiliently pressure yielding knife edge wedge shaped members positioned along the advancing edge of the stack of blanks and arranged to overlap and bear against the 'advance edge ofr ,expansive resilient means attachedtc Vone end of said rock arm, a resilient pressure yielding frictionalV surfaced blank edge engaging wiper member secured to the opposite end of said rock arms and means for imis. ifeaaeoo parting an intermittent reciprocating move- Vment to said top blank separating wipers.

6. ln a blank feeding for ginnming machines, the combination of the machine and its supporting side frames and an upwardly fee-ding stack of blanks, with the square cross shaft, the depending levers thereon, the rock arms pivoted thereto, the pins pivoted to one end of said rock arms, lugs en said levers through which said pins extend slidably, an expansive spring on each pin between said end of said rock arm and the adjacent side of said lug, a nut threaded to the top of each pin and bearing on said lug and arranged to adjust the expansive tension of said spring, and a blank engaging friction pad secured to the end of the opposite arm of said rock arm and arranged toy bear with a frictional contact and with a yielding resilient pressure on the top blank of said upwardlyY feeding stackV of blanks, and means including cam and lever and rock arm mechanism for imparting a reciprocal blank engaging stroke to said wipers and for feeding said stack of blanks to the operative top blank engaging reciprocal movement of said wipers.

7. ln a blank feeder for blank gumming machines, the combination with the supporting side frames of the machine, of the cross shaft journaled in said frames., the gear secured thereon, the cross bar secured to said side frames, the casing surrounding said gear and secured to said cross bar, the slidewayY on the lower part of said casing, the rock bar reciprocall'i7 mounted yin said casings slide-way and meshing with said gears, the projecting bar on said slideway, the stack supporting back holding plate slidably mounted on said projecting bar and the vertical slidewa)7 secured to the inner end of said rock bar, and means including cam and lever actuated mechanism connected to said gear supporting shaft for imparting a reversible rotating movement to said gear where said rock bar is reciprocated in its supporting slideway.

8. ln a blank feeder for blank gumming ently controlled vertical reciprocal movel ment independent of the reciprocal movement of said rock bar, and a laterally adjustable air suction blank gripping mechanism secured to said cross head and arl ranged to be moved down and grip the top blank of said stack of blanks and forward it to further breatment. Y

9. ln a blank feeding machine, the combination of the machines frame, the stack holding and vertically feeding table, and the stack of blanks thereon, with a horizontally reciprocating rack bar positioned above the stack of blanks, means for reciprocating said rack bar, a vertical slideway in the inner end of said bar, a cross head arranged to reciprocate vertically in said slideway, a reciprocating linger iarranged to move said cross head downwardly in said slideway, means including springs secured to said slideway and arranged to draw said cross head upwardly when released from the downward movement of said finger, a tubular sleeve secured to said vertically reciprocating cross head, tubes slidably mounted in the opposite ends of said sleeve, means for securing said tubes in adjusted positions toward or away from the longitudinal center of said machine, tubular arms on the outer ends of said tubes, a flexible rubber disk on the outer end of said tubes arranged to engage the advance edge of the top blank of said stack of blanks, means for reciprocating said rack bar and said Enger and means including an air suction force creating mechanism attached to said tubular sleeve for producing an air suction blank gripping force in said blank gripping tubes, whereby the top blank of said stack is engaged by said air suction blank gripping tubes and is conveyed a predetermined distance to further treatment.

10. In a blank feeding machine, the combination of the side frames and the stack of blanks supporting table slidably mounted therein, the threaded nuts in said table, the vertical threaded rods threaded through said nuts, the cross shaft journaled in said side frames and geared to said vertical rods, the lateral slots in the opposite sides of said table, the vertical blank sides supporting laterally adjustable rods extending up through said slots in said table, means including the right and left hand threaded rods and the hand turning rods for moving said rods simultaneously together to and from the center of said table to fit the opposite sides and support different sized blanks on said table.

11. 1n a blank feeding machine, the combination of the table, its cross shafts and vertical threaded rods with a cross bar secured between said side frames adjacent to the advance edges of said stack of blanks on said table, a top blank separating guide secured to said cross bar on opposite sides of thescenter of said table and comprising right angled members having a vertical part secured to said cross bar in predetermined positionson each side of the center of said table to fit different sized blanks and having a horizontal part comprising a wedge shaped blade tapering to a knife edge at its outer end and means including a pawl and ratchet cam and rock arm mechanism connected to said tables cross shaft for feeding said stack of blanks up under said top blank, separating knife edge guides, a longitudinal positioned supporting bar above said stack of blanks, a rear side stack guide comprising a cross plate slidably and adjustably secured on said bar, provided with depending fingers arranged to extend down over the outside of the rear side of said stack of blanks, said vertical rods rand longitudinal recesses in said table arranged to receive the fingers of said rear side blank holder.

12. The combination in a blank feeding mechanism, of the upwardly feeding table, provided with recesses extending into its opposite side edges, the stack of blanks on said table and the laterally adjustable vertical blank confining and supporting rods extending up through said recesses in said table, a stepped recess in the top edge of said tables surface, and a plate slidably seated in each of said stepped recesses.

13. The combination in a blank feeding mechanism, of the reciprocating rack bar provided with a vertical slideway in its forward end, and the vertically reciprocating and horizontally moving air suction flexible disk blank gripping tubes mounted in said slideway, means including a cam and lever actuated mechanism for moving said blank gripping tubes downwardly on their blank gripping movement, and a pair of contraction springs, the upper ends of which are secured to the opposite sides respectively `of said slideway, and means for connecting the opposite ends of said springs to move said tubes upwardly on the upward stroke of their reciprocal movement.

14. In a blank feeding mechanism for blank gumming machines, the combination with the horizontally reciprocating rack bar and its driving gear and cam actuated mechanism, having a vertical slideway in its advancing end, a cross head slidably mounted in said slideway, air suction blank gripping tubes secured to said cross head, a Spanner bar extending across the bottom of said cross head, and extending beyond its opposite sides, and a contraction spring secured to each end of said bar at one end, and means for securing the upper end of each contraction spring in proper position to the opposite edges of said slideway, whereby said cross head and air tubes are normally held by resilient tension of the top of their reciprocal stroke movement, a roller mounted in the top of said cross head, and means including a cam and lever actuated nger lever arranged to engage said roller and to move said cross head and air tubes downwardly .on the blank engaging stroke of their reciprocal movement.'

to said feed roller for removing such blanks as are not properly fed to said blank feeding roller from said stack.

Q0. The combination of a blank feeder with a blank feeding roller of a blank gumming machine, said blank feeder comprising a suitable supporting frame work, a reciprocally feeding table mounted on said frame work, said table being arranged and adapted to hold a stack of blanks, means including a device for limiting the upward feeding movement of said stack of blanks by said table, means including vertical and reciprocal movement air suction blank gripping tubes arranged to move down against said stack of blanks, grip the top one by suction, raise it up, move it horizontally forward, and deliver it against the air suction blank gripping mechanism of said gumming machines feed roller, and means including cam operated mechanism operated from the gumming machine for feeding the stack of blanks to said top blank separating mechanism, and to said air suction tubes as fast as said tubes feed them to said feed roller.

21. In a blank feeder for blank gumming machines, the combination with the blank feeding roller of the gumming machine, and the mechanism for supporting a stack of blanks, with the mechanism for feeding one blank at a time from the top of said stack to said feed roller, said mechanism comprising a blank separating member arranged to limit the feed movement of the stack toward the feeding mechanism, means including a reciprocating blank engaging tamping bar for holding the top blank against accidental displacement from the stack, means including friction members for feeding the top blank from under the blank separating device and for moving it up over it, and means including an air suction force operating set of flexible ended tubes adjustably arranged to fit blanks of different sizes, and means including an air suction force producing pump connected to said tubes for producing an air suction blank gripping action in said tubes, said tubes being arranged to move down on top of said separated blanks and grip them one at a time and then lift them up and to feed them forward to said blank feeding roller.

22. In a blank feeder for blank gumming machines, the combination of the feed roller, the air suction tubes, the presser plate and the cut-out blade `and its blank ejecting rollers, and the frame, the stack supporting table reciprocally mounted on said frame, the geared cross shaft and the threaded geared shafts meshing with said cross shaft for feeding said table upwardly, the stack of blanks in said table and the knife edge guides for limiting the feeding movement of said stack to its separate blank feeding station, and the reciprocating top blank separating members, and their supporting shaft, a lever secured on said shaft, a rod secured to said lever at one end and at its opposite end to one end of a rock arm, a shaft journaled in said frame, a lever on said shaft pivoted intermediate of its end to a roller on said lever, a power driven cam in engagement with the said roller, a connecting rod connected at one end to the opposite end of said rock arm, a ratchet tooth engaging pawl swingingly mounted on said tables cross shaft and connected to the opposite end of said connecting rod, the ratchet wheel secured on said shaft, the recessed disk mounted loosely on said cross shaft, with means including a reciprocating blank tamping bar, its supporting shaft and rock bars and operating pinions on said shaft, and the rock arm on the end of said shaft having arms of unequal lengths, the shorter of which is provided with a swiveling lug, a rod extending slidably through said lug at one end, a compression spring along said lug secured at one end to said rod and bearing loosely against said lug, and an adjustable collar secured on said rod underneath said lug, whereby said rock arms lug has a fixed movement against said collar and rod in one direction and a resilient yielding movement against said rod in the opposite direction, a rock arm pivotally secured to the opposite end of said rod and pivoted intermediate of its ends to said frame, and a. roller on the opposite end of said rock arm in engagement with a power driven cam, the longer end of said shafts rock arm being arranged to swing against the top of a reciprocating rod, a rock arm secured to said frame inteimediateof its ends, one end of which supports the opposite end of said rod, a connecting rod secured at one end to the opposite end of said rock arm, said connecting rod being connected at its opposite end to said recessed disk on said cross shaft, whereby said stack of blanks is fed upwardly intermittently, the automatic operating movable downwardly resiliently feeding movement of said tamping bar and said blank separating wipers operating through a predetermined downward feeding stroke movement which intermittently feeds the stack of blanks up to them.

In testimony whereof we ax our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

MELVILLE E. PETERS.

GEORGE II. FATH.

ALBERT F. MILLER.

lVitnesses:

G. SARGENT ELLIOTT, Ani-:LLA M. FowLn.

@epica of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Cemmissoner of Patents Washington, D., G. 

